Cool News
Talimon's OSAMA Review From A Screening With The Director!!
Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
They’ve been playing hide-and-seek with the press screenings on this one so far, scheduling and rescheduling them over and over. I’m resigned to the idea that I’ll just go see it when it opens. In the meantime, check out this report from someone who just attended a special screening with the Golden Globe-winning director...
It is scary how detached we've become in this age of
news-headlines. The media competes for our attention
in jolts and buzzes, going for high-drama and quick
gratification. We live and feel through electronic
signals; through paper and ink. It is easy to forget,
given the ease with which the words "regime-change"
are spoken, how monumental it is that whole countries,
nationalities, and cultures are being formed as we
speak. It is the stuff of revolution and history. And
it takes a lot of foresight to realize when you are
being witness to one of these historic events. If and
when you realize it, the force is so strong that you
are left shivering to the bone. We all felt that way
when we woke up on September 11, 2001. But it was fear
we felt, not excitement. So often does fear prevail
that we forget how that same deep-rooted intensity can
be associated with excitement and joy. Only a week ago
I could have told you that I've never had that feeling
when it comes to film. But then again I hadn't seen
Osama, or heard the passion of its director. And it
felt incredible to sit there and hear the excitement
in his voice. It is the sound of wheels turning, of
winds blowing. Of a new film-culture being formed.
I don't know or care much about Afghanistan. I work at a movie theatre here in Berkeley, California. I love
movies, and love living in a community that shows the
most obscure titles. But when I heard a few weeks ago
that we were going to screen Osama, and that the
director would be present, I didn't really make much
of it. Granted, it was the first feature-length film
to come from that country since the fall of the
Taliban, and the first Afghani film in memory to be
made without any censorship. But a movie is a movie,
and my experience with movies from under-developed
countries has been, well... bland. I don't blame
anyone. Most of these countries don't have very well
developed film-cultures. They don't have the necessary
funding, nor the mechanisms by which to find good
local talent. But as a movie-goer this really doesn't
mean much to me, cold as it may sound. A good movie is
a good movie. And so naturally, when I heard the
whispers of excitement about Osama coming from
independent film-circles, I dismissed it as hyperbole
meant to somehow make up for the film's lack of
quality. Which, given that Afghanistan has never had
much of a film-culture, I could understand. But I
didn't plan on seeing it.
And then on Sunday, one day before our screening, it
won the Golden Globe for best foreign picture. I still
had my doubts, given how the GG's are awarded at least
partly for notoriety's sake. But it was enough to
convince me to snag a last-minute ticket for the
screening. We have a huge Afghani community in
Berkeley, and over half the theatre was reserved for
guests of the director. I say this only so that you
know what context I saw the film in. Many of the
charachters in the film are archetypes and stereotypes
for certain figures that apparently most Afghani's are
familiar with, so maybe you'll laugh where they cried,
and most certainly you'll cry in parts where they
laughed. But that's kind of the beauty of genuine
foreign film.
So what can I say about the movie? It is painfully
poetic. Not in a cheap way. The lighting, the sounds,
the sights... the sillohette of a bleeding girl
standing on a dead tree; the image of a her cut-off
braids in a pot being watered as she cries in the
out-of-focus background; of her skipping rope in a
prison cell; of clothed women being soaked in water by
Talibi as a boy prays. Poetic in a way that is unique.
It is uniquely Afghani. It has such vivid style and
imagery that you immediately feel as if this is a film
coming from a well established director. The fact that
this is his feature-length debut is astonishing. It's
hard to explain, but Siddiq Barmak (who directed,
wrote, and edited the film single-handedly) adds a
sort of tension to the film that never lets go of you.
Even though the movie is a meager 82 minutes long, it
feels like you are in this world forever. The editing
is a potent shot of minimalism that I can't really
compare to anything I've seen recently. While you may
feel that it starts on the slow side, the sytlistic
decision pays off later. By letting us believe in this
world, and by showing us its natural pace, we are all
the more shocked when the main charachter faces what
she does. It gives the movie a here-and-now urgency
that will stay embedded in you for days.
What else can I say without spoiling the film? The
acting is brutal. That none of these are professional
actors (most had no previous acting experience) is
really a mute point. Like City of God, the charachters
simply belong to the story. They ARE the story. They
are not recreating some other charachters, or
searching for some foreign emotions to reflect; they
are reflecting their own emotion and pain. Add to this
that the movie was shot in Kabul, and it doesn't take
much imagination to believe that what you are seeing
is real.
Finally, I'd just like to comment that the film is
made with a tone of detachment that is brilliant. How
tempting it must have been to make a film that would
rip the Taliban apart, given the turn of the tides.
But Osama is content with simply showing us what is
there. The rawness of it will leave you hurting. We've
all heard our president speak of what the Taliban did,
but personally I was always skeptic, given his
political interests. But seeing this movie, and
knowing that these very things were taking place only
4-5 years ago... that is painful. The standards of
living in this film look like they come from over 100
years ago. But the attitudes of the Taliban
(particularly the scene with the "judge" at the end)
look like something from ancient history. To believe
that justice was administered this way ANYWHERE in the
world is unbelieveable. And yet Barmak doesn't say
anything. The film ends like a dissonat piano chord...
there is no redemption. Our better sense lead us to
believe that somehow this girl-turned-boy will emerge
victorious, a la Whale Rider or something rather. We
expect American troops to come in and save her. But
instead, well... you'll have to see it. I wouldn't
call it a sad or emotional ending, in the Hollywood
sense... It's an ending that outright hurts. And I
wouldn't have it any other way. While I loved Whale
Rider, it resolved joyfully, albeit with damage
already done. Osama doesn't spare us such mercy.
I'll finish up by just commenting on Barmak. The Q&A
was lengthy, and very informative. No stupid questions
(I love Berkeley!), and some very inquisitive,
borderline critical comments. I'll list just the
highlights:
* Marina Golbahari, the girl who plays Osama, was
found by the director bleeding and orphaned in front
of a movie-theatre in Kabul, begging for money.
* Barmak fled Afghanistan to study film in Moscow,
where he lived for 6 years (he speaks fluent Russian).
* A number of those who played Taliban gaurds
confessed to the director on the set that they had
been Talibi (the movie was shot just a month after the
Taliban's fall). When Barmak asked one of them in
private why he wanted to play the role, he told Barmak
that he felt this was his way of asking for
forgiveness. I thought that was incredibly moving.
* Barmak said that his next film will be a black
comedy, set in Kabul I presume. That reminded me of
Balkan Cabaret, that brilliant film set in mid 90's
Beograd. I can't wait.
Supposedly Osama will be getting a wider release by
the end of February, so maybe more folks will catch it
(though "wider" for a film like this still only means
maybe 50 screens nationwide). Listening to Barmak talk
was like listening to a pioneer on the verge of
something great. I'd love to see Afghanistan emerge as
a stylistic film-hub. As Barmak said, "We don't have
oil but we can still have great films." I hope indy
studios and distributors are listening.
Talimon (has nothing to do with Taliban... Talimon as
in "Come, Mr Talimon, Talimon banana...") Thanks. Excellent write-up.
"Moriarty" out.
-
+ Expand All
-
I don't want to understand these people, I just want them dead. They are determined to insist on moving the world back into the stone age and are never going to change their society into anything resembling logical, so just I just want them dead. I'm tired of their endless and irrational hatred of all things not them and I'm tired of hearing them bitch how bad they have it. They could change if they wanted to, but they're comfortable and too used to hating everyone in the world because of the lives they have created for themselves. So, I just want them all to die. Spae the forward thinking and educated among them, but for the most part, it's an entire region of stupid, violent and altogether worthless people, so just kill them, because that's all they're planning for anyone who isn't them. I'm tired of 'Terror Warnings' that don't mean anything. I'm tired of listening to people screaming after some moron goat-fucker blows up an after-school hangout in Israel. I'm tired of 'interpreting' their religion. I just want them dead. They're a speed-bump on the way toward a better future. Better yet, let's just get the rest of the world to ignore them completely. Fuck 'em. They don't want our help, they need it, but they don't want it. So fuck the entire region. Of course this will never happen, as Bush is a total pussy and lacks the resolve to pull our troops and simply release a chemical that would sterilize every fucker in that area. No, there's oil there.
Oil is a great reason to see soldiers like my cousin die for no fucking good reason. So, in closing, I don't want to understand them, I don't care about their point of view, I don't care about this movie, I just want them exterminated like the fucking stupid, violent, ignorant and hateful vermin that they are. -
and not the innocent Afghan people who have been suffering through 25 years of needless wears largely brought on by the stupidity of their dictatorial rulers and the selfish interference of foreign powers (Russia, Pakistan, US).
-
Jan 28, 2004 5:33:51 AM CST
I think they should make "The Osama Effect" with Hulk Hogan as t
by mbaker
Die, infidel brothers!
-
I hate to break it to America hating linberals and Euro-trash(National) Socialists, but the people of Afghanistan HAVE NEVER allowed or wanted any forgeiners in their country. So all this "WE ABANDONED THEM" bullshit has got to stop. It's just another way for Lefties to blame America for another nations troubles. Right now, if(and probably WHEN) Lefties in America get their way we WILL be abandoning them and the Islamic beggar nation of Iraq too. But we NEVER abandoned Afhganistan in the 1st place. It was a stepping stone(which turned into a landmine) on the way to the Glorious LEft Wing Empire of Russia's way to the Warm water port it always wanted, and needed for Global domination. Unfortunatly for the Russians, and liberal lefties everywhere, the Afghans did not want to be Commies and have their religion stomped out. Turns out the primary factor in Keeping people down and under control, is the only thing they HAVE...and good Poppies.
So When we pull out(and free Saddam, GO DEAN GO!!!hehaheha)Thye will go back to their natural state...just like the Newly freed iraqi's want to make a new islamic theocracy....these people have no grasp of freedom or what you need to GIVE UP to really have it. Most of the worlds nations(Like...hmmm....Europe) Who's freedom is a GIFT of the United States of America will never Stand up or fight for freedom. it's not in their mindset, their culture. THEY never fought to attain freedom, or see themselves as guardians of it. Neither should WE actually. it's clear we are neither wanted or needed...so we should let South Korea and Japan(Sorry guys) Stand on their own...and IF the LEFT WING CHUNG EMPIRE of China goes all "Tibetan Genocide" on them...then, Take it to the UN. " Screw you guys I'm going home". YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.
My favorite Taliban(or islamic) moment, was whent hey blew up those OLD Buhddas....Mucho International "protest"....Very effective too. but it was funny because they were blowing up an Obsolete symbol of an obsolete relgion that predated their obsolete religion....Now if the Muslims of Egypt would just do the same to the Pyramids and the Sphinx and Abu Symbul and all the rest of the reminders that GOD(s) were created by men(not the other way around) and that sooner or later Present day gods will go the way of Ancient gods(the sooner the better)we'd be making some real progress, in showing the true character of the Islamic world.
They Truely do believe in a Free society....Free of Jews, and Christians, and Hindus, and Seihks, and Krishnas(well who cans tand those idiots?), and Athiests(Oh no!!! I'm worse than an Infidel!!!)...and anyone else who does not aknowledge their filthy god and his false prophet.
How do we know this? Well Where is a Muslim nation that is NOT a Muslim nation? I mean where is the country where they just have a majority of the population, and all other peoples are free to be? No such place.
Anyway, the ONLY Prophet is Profit.
God is a LIE.
-
Dear God. People like this make me sick. I can't believe you actually hold that opinion, are you serious or are you just trying to get a rise out of other people.
I can't wait to see this movie. -
but you should try to show some self control, man (or woman). don't lose it in front of everybody like a sissy 10-year old. just because your government sent your cousin to die doesn't mean you should turn yourself into a Hitler. Of course, you may be trolling, and you may not have had a cousin at all.
-
Well, what can one say? i guess atleast part of your hatred and anger for 'that region' is a result of the loss of a loved one. that is ofcourse, totally understandable. im not going to claim to know what your going through because I frankly (and thankfully) haven't experienced it. but to say your cousin died for no good reason is an insult to his memory. i urge you not to repeat that to his family, specially not his parents. telling them their son's death was pointless will take away what little solice they might have that he died a hero's death. as for the point of the war, it was to remove a brutal dictator from power. in addition to the hundreds of thousands of iraqis he has killed, his staying in power meant the possible death of Americans as well, as Saddam was obviously hell-bent on destroying US. maybe not today, or tomorrow, but somewhere down the line Saddam would cause suffering for more people. the war took place to ensure that more people dont suffer losses of loved ones. im sure you know all too well how painful it is.
-
Scoleros, or whatever your name is; your claim that "THEY never faught for their freedom" is absolute bullshit when it comes to the Afghans. The Afghans have been doing nothing for the last 25 YEARS but fight for their freedom! We fought a quick war from 1776-1783 and we look back on it as a time of tribulation. The Afghans have seen their country completely ravaged for a quarter century and they haven't let up. They were a modern constitutional democracy that was shamelessly invaded by the USSR in 1978, then flooded by CIA-trained Saudi Islamic militants like Osama bin Laden, then taken over by the Taliban, despite the efforts of great fighters like Achmad Shah Moussoud to turn them back. Theyt deserve everything we can give them, because they helped destroy the USSR by giving them their own Vietnam, and we are obliged to help them, because it's partly our fault that they are in the mess they're in. Given that, is it any wonder they don't want foreigners messing with their country?
-
I wonder whether you would be one of those people at a funeral who cry and wail and make a spectacle of themselves, even though you were never really very close to the deceased, and even though the immediate family of the deceased is right there showing dignity.
-
Jan 28, 2004 8:49:40 AM CST
wow, that is a great invention, that chemical of Mr. High's,
by eraser_x
it can tell who are the fuckers and who are the forward thinking and educated and sterilize only the fuckers but not the forward thinking and educated! Amazing!
-
At the Reykjavik(sp?)summit in 1986 the Russians attempted to negotiate a way out of Afghanistan leaving behind a stable government but Donald Regan advised against that because he wanted them to suffer their own Vietnam. And that's the reason Afghanistan why the Taliban were able to take power.
-
Mr High, if you want to exterminate "stupid, violent, ignorant and hateful vermin", maybe you should do humanity a favour and exterminate yourself.
speaking of ignorant vermin, Sceleretos' outburst has to be the most ignorant piece of fascist bullshit I've ever heard.
30 years ago, Afghanistan was one of the most culturally-diverse countries in the world. From Persian, through Hellenistic to Muslim and Buddhist art, the country was so full of Archaeological treasures, that the museum of Kabul became famous the world over. In the Bamian valley alone there were Buddhist temples, Mosques, Zoroastrian fire temples and early Judeo-Christian Monasteries. All these different religious groups cohabitated peacefully for a thousand years and their respective teachings influenced the entire world.
Yet in a few short years of American-caused Taliban rule, this heritage was entirely wiped out. Bamian is now an empty, arid valley strewn with the rubble of these sites and the Kabul Museum is an empty shell. We did NOTHING to stop thi, only choosing to remove the Taliban when they refused to work with Haliburton and build a pipeline.
And yet, even now, people like you have no shame in saying the Afghans have no culture becuase they don't have A FUCKING MCDONALDS.
-
You are the reason we are not pressing forward. These people have been living under american bombs a lot further back than september 11. It's people like you that make presidents like Bush. 'just let me kill them all - if you all join with me we can fuck them up." But we in the civilzed world don't believe in bombing people to a better civlization. We in the civilized world don't believe you can bring democracy to a people by taken away everything the have and are. No weapons found. You got Saddam for christmas. and still your boys are over there being shot at while your old pal Bush hides in his fortress of secrecy and dirty dealings. People are dying. It's no war, it's a God damn slaughter... but that's what you're saying to do hey. Well here's anther option that might be a nice alternative to you dropping chemical weapons on our side of the planet... take that 87 billion dollars and buy everyone an airfare ticket and round em all up in washington DC and drop your weapon on them there. It's ok, Bush doesn't have to there for it... He can go anywhere in his free God blessed country he so desires..
-
The problem is, no religion is a religion. Not beliving is a belief, which means people will always be in conflict with others who believe differently. I think our founding fathers got it right. People should have the right to religion, but the government cannot be allowed to force it onto others. It doesn't rule out the possibility of religious tension, but it keeps the government neutral, and prevents such tensions from getting out of control, unlike what happened in Afghanistan.
-
Look at the zeal in which these "non-religious" posts were written. It seems that these people are passionately waging a war of words in the same way that a religious person would. The potential for conflict is still there, easily. Religion isn't the problem (that's just window dressing), it's assholes. Islam isn't violent and backwater at all, it just happens to be the faith of choice for what is a very tested people right now. I mean, Christianity gave rise to the dark ages once, and now it seems to be living sorta peacefully within democracy. People can and will change when given the opportunity. I know how you feel. Sometimes it would be easier if we were all neutral when it comes to faith, politics, race, what have you. But those are not what causes conflicts at all, those are just excuses. It's militant fuckers that are to blame. For the record, I'm a self made what you would call "Bhuddist" living in Canada. I know how irrational it feels to be living in a society that believes in one of two things that are differently from me (Athiest/Christian).... But I also know that if it wasn't one thing, it'd be the other. Christians believe in God and Jesus, so that's what they fight for. Atheiests believe in human nature and logic, that's what they fight for. To think that religion somehow has to do with any of this is naive.
-
Whine, whine, whine. I highly doubt that anyone on an AICN is wordly and wise enough to truly bring any relevant opinion to this whole mess of personal feelings and politics. You - the guy who hates America or just wants to pin some great blame on us - shut up. And you - the guy who thinks we should bomb everyone who is "keeping us back" - you should shut up too. Nobody is being objective here, everyone is swayed by something... whether you've lost a loved one or you think that the US stands for McDonaldization of the world. I'm sorry you lost your cousin, and I'm sorry the other guy doesn't care for the USA. Let's stick to discussing the movie here, and save the politicking for a board dedicated to it.
-
Jan 28, 2004 7:53:13 PM CST
if Mr High was from the middle east, he'd be a suicide bomber
by tall_boy
fuckin nutjob. don't contribute to the genepool, jackass. Same with anyone who is in love with the right. The world is much better off without you.
-
That's the phrase, not "mute". No, I don't know what a "moot" is. And that's the point.
-
Jan 29, 2004 3:20:20 AM CST
Oh, I'm sorry, maybe I should clarify for all you bleeding heart
by mr. high
....cocksuckers. I didn't mean to spare anyone in that region from sterilization, I mean EVERYONE! Eventually the entire region will die out on it's own. Or simply release something that would allow them have only female children. And as for the argument that my cousin was a distant releative, FUCK YOU! I didn't blabber and fucking bawl during his funeral, I didn't say much of anything. He was my best friend and it's a fucking waste that he had to go and give his life in that backward ass pisshole of a country. So, FUCK YOU, FUCK THE MIDDLE EAST AND FUCK ANYONE WHO THINKS THAT ANYTHING GOOD WILL EVER COME FROM THAT PART OF THE WORLD!
-
If you knew anything about anything, you would know that "that region" is the cradle of modern civilization. And there is only one "region" to blame for 80% of what
-
"Finally, there is a b.s. rumor floating that our CIA trained radicals to overthrow Afghanistan's "democratic" government which was headed by Nur Mohammed Taraki. Ummm....whoever started this rumor is way off base...first, the People
-
While CIA didn
-
Actually, that "call for help" from the Communist regime was reportedly made when Taraki was on a tank marching into Kabul with the Soviets, so it's unclear exactly how much this "coup" was internal and how much it was a preamble to a Soviet-backed invasion. The time before the 1978 coup, when Afghanistan was a constitutional monarchy with a surprisingly cosmopolitan and tolerant society (images from that period seem more civilised than Riyadh does today) is known as the "golden decade" by Afghans, and indeed was Western-looking.
As for this quote:
FUCK YOU, FUCK THE MIDDLE EAST AND FUCK ANYONE WHO THINKS THAT ANYTHING GOOD WILL EVER COME FROM THAT PART OF THE WORLD!
Try our modern numerical system, the zero, optics, chemistry, modern astronomy, algebra etc etc. Here's a hint- any scientific word begining with al- (alchemy, alkali, algorithm, alcohol, Aldebaran) is Arabic, so shut up before you make yourself look stupider than you obviously are. -
"If you believe what you set forth in your statment then every day when you buy goods at the store...the cash you're using will likely at some point...fall into the hands of a drug dealer...that cash might travel to the Golden Crescent...that means you should be arrested and do time heavy time...because you...yourself are funding terrorists and have sponsored Osama. Get real."
I think this is quite a stretch , compared to directly funding training and arms for people for later turn out to be ones enemys. Real bad analogy. The US sponsored the Mujahideens, members of the Mujahideens entered Al-qaeeda, which part of this is convoluted?
"Actually, that "call for help" from the Communist regime was reportedly made when Taraki was on a tank marching into Kabul with the Soviets, so it's unclear exactly how much this "coup" was internal and how much it was a preamble to a Soviet-backed invasion."
Yeah, I don -
I was there and I really want to see this movie. I hope that it humanizes the Afghans who I found by and large to be decent people caught up in the malestorm of history.
I also think that its amazing this film got made in the first place. Anyone with any understanding of life in Afghanistan has to acknowledge that. I would be willing to bet the story of the film's making is every bit as interesting as the film itself.
Anyone who thinks that the Afghanis are just "animals", ought to check out rawa.org for some perspective. Its not necessary the most balanced portrait of Afghanistan, but its still interesting and courageous. -
"Still, claiming that a regime can
-
That is beside the point. This is about saying that communist=undemocratic, and that is ridiculous. Wether democratic communist regimes has existed or ever will, is beside the point. If a government is chosen by the people in a fair election, and they uphold the constitution of said country, or changes it in a way according to law and policymaking, developes it
-
The guy wasnt talking about some theoretical government but about the one that came about in the communist takeover of Afghanistan. So his statement could hardly be called stupid. Of couse communism is appealing to many in theory, but weve yet to discover a way to live under and theorical government, until then we'll have to rely on ones that actually work in reality.
-
He is still using the fact that a government is communist, as a proof that it cannot be democratic per se. That is stupid.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 439 total posts 159 posts
- WTF HOLLYWOOD: SOLARBABIES -- 144 total posts 142 posts
- Herc’s Seen Tonight’s Return Of THE WALKING DEAD!! Discuss Also DOWNTON ABBEY, FEAR FACTOR, PAN AM, ONCE, SIMPSONS, DYNAMITE, LUCK, SHAMELESS, BAIT CAR, THE GRAMMYS And More!! Sunday Is Sweeps Day 11!! -- 155 total posts 140 posts
- Avid Comic Reader Hercules Does Battle With Tedium During Kevin Smith’s COMIC BOOK MEN! -- 55 total posts 45 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 196 total posts 45 posts
- I am The Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day! No, I’m the Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day! -- 35 total posts 35 posts
- If the Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day drops her pen, pick it up, but don’t look at her legs or else it will be on your record. -- 60 total posts 34 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 127 total posts 32 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 513 total posts 29 posts
- The Sensorties Revisit The Friday Docback (And Still Smell)!! DOCTOR WHO Story #7 Again, The Coming Of Season/Series 7, And More!! -- 118 total posts 27 posts